Analyses of the methanolic extract of the leaves of

Medicinal plants are sources of important therapeutic aids for alleviating human ailments. Medicinal herbs are known to contain a variety of antioxidants. Herbal medicine is the use of medicinal plants for the prevention and treatment of diseases, it ranges from traditional and popular medicines of every country to the use of standardized herbal extracts. In tune with this effort, the objective set for the present study is to identify the phytochemical constituents of the leaves of Rhinacanthus nasutus in order to understand the nature of the principle component responsible for its medicinal property. A preliminary absorbance survey scan of the methanolic extract of R. nasutus evidenced the presence of multiple components in the extract. Two peaks observed in the HPLC spectrum showed the presence of two compounds in the extract. GCMS profile revealed that the active components present in the leaf extract might be alkaloids or polyphenols. The results of IR spectrum revealed that band 1 possess compounds of polyphenolic nature and band 2 possesses compounds that are having a hydroxyl and a carbonyl groups. Some more studies need to be conducted to confirm the presence of bioactive component responsible for its therapeutic value